Schoolchildren to Draw up Vision of the Future
Schoolchildren are being asked to draw on their creativity to depict their vision of the future.
South Tyneside Council is inviting pupils to use words or pictures to illustrate how they think the planet will look in 50 years' time.
The Council is running a poem and poster competition to launch a programme of events and activities in the run-up to South Tyneside's Climate Summit Week, which it will be hosting from 1-5 November to tie in with COP-26 - the UN's 26the annual climate change conference.
Primary-aged children are invited to draw a picture based on 'your future world', to remind people that there is a climate emergency which needs addressing. Secondary pupils are asked to write a poem on the same theme.
In July 2019, the Council declared a climate emergency and pledged to take all necessary steps to become carbon neutral by 2030.
Cllr Ernest Gibson, Lead Member for Area Management and Community Safety with responsibility for climate change, said: "The Council has committed to working with schools to help achieve a sustainable and carbon neutral borough.
"We're asking children to look into the future and imagine what the world might be like in 50 years' time.
"Their entries might act as a warning about what may happen if we do not take climate change seriously.
"Alternatively, their world might depict a flourishing planet, highlighting the positive changes that we need to make.
"Children are the future, and there may be no greater threat than climate change facing their generation, it is crucial that we educate and empower children to make a change. I'm looking forward to seeing all their entries."
All entries will be displayed as part of South Tyneside Council's Climate Summit Week in November. They will be shown in an exhibition at The Customs House and shared on the Council's official social media channels.
A judging panel will choose one stand-out poem and poster and the winning students will receive a voucher for a reconditioned bicycle from Sports Recycler. The school with the best collective set of entries will also receive a sustainably sourced trophy.
Earlier this year, the council made a commitment to invest in the natural environment as a key priority.
This year will be the UN's 26th global climate summit, called COPs, which stands for Conference of the Parties, and will be hosted in Glasgow.
Cllr Gibson added: "We're going to have a series of events, activities, displays and challenges that people can get involved with, all designed to raise awareness and encourage people to join the call for action that we all start truly tackling climate change."
For further information on South Tyneside Climate Summit Week, visit https://www.southtyneside.gov.uk/article/73595/COP26-Climate-Summit-Week